Looking to secure your home but don’t feel like forking out big bucks for an expensive set of smart home gadgets? Turns out, you’re not alone.
Recent consumer research has found that 80 per cent of Aussies are looking to sure up their home security system with some smart home tech, but more than half (43 per cent) chose not to thanks to the hefty sticker price.
And it’s not hard to see why. A camera from Ring (probably the biggest name in the home security camera) would set buyers back by at least $100 for their most basic product. Add in a camera for the backyard and their $50-$150 annual subscription service to save recordings, and you’re looking at running up $350+ just to catch the neighbourhood kids ding dong ditching your door.
That’s not exactly a small investment for any Aussie, especially with mortgage repayments being what they are in 2024.
Thankfully, someone over at Amazon-owned Blink smart home security has been doing their market research, leading the team to announce last week that they would be branching out their budget security camera onto Aussie shores.
This includes products that have been a smash hit overseas with the Americans, like the company’s flagship budget starter camera – the Blink Mini 2.
Boasting a two-year lifespan at the cost of a couple of AA batteries, this compact plug-in camera offers homeowners a 1080p HD live wide field of view of their property, with a built-in LED spotlight with HD night view in colour, two-way audio, and motion detection.
All privacy settings can also be controlled through the Blink app, including setting up activity zones to capture only what you want and excluding areas like the busy street outside your door.
With its weather-resistant design, the Blink team are confident the Mini can handle the harsh Aussie weather, making it perfect for the backyard surveillance system while the kids splash around in the pool this summer.
And all for only $69.
Blink Asia Pacific managing director, Mark Fletcher said the company wanted to provide a budget-friendly security alternative to Aussie’s already doing it tough in the current cost of living crisis.
“We’re thrilled to launch Blink in Australia and New Zealand, bringing our customers more feature-packed options at incredible value,” he added.
You can of course spring for a few extras if you want to bump up your home security coverage, like the $19 weather-resistant power adaptor that replaces the batteries with a constant 24/7 supply of power or the Blink Sync Module 2, which allows owners to control up to 10 cameras via the Blink app and store ‘motion events’ locally for no additional fee.
The next model up, the Blink Outdoor 4, also offers up some nice upgrades over its budget brother, including infrared night vision and an advanced dual-zone motion detection alerting users to motion more quickly, but it does come at a cost with a single unit selling for $149.
But of course, every company these days needs a subscription model to keep investors happy, and Blink is no different.
Taking a page out of the Ring playbook, Blink’s monthly subscription allows owners to save and share clips of their live recordings for up to 60 days and unlocks features like person detection and automatic edits of live snippets the company has dubbed as “Blink Moments”.
After a 30-day free trial, the plans also come at a similar price point to their competitor, with the Basic Plan starting from $5 a month and the Plus plan starting at $15.
These aren’t essential buys by any means if you’re just looking for a live camera feed but for those willing to pony up a bit extra to catch the dodgy delivering roughing up your parcels at the door, it might be worth the cash.
If the Blink sounds like it’s up your alley, Aussies can find devices and accessories available for purchase only on Bunnings Warehouse shelves or via the Amazon Australia website as of this week.
